Gov. Pat McCrory's administration wants to privatize North Carolina's $13 billion Medicaid program to hold down the spiraling costs of delivering health care for the elderly and disabled.

State Health and Human Services Secretary Aldona Wos (vahsh) says plans are to recruit about three big managed-care providers who compete as they deliver medical, mental, and dental services throughout North Carolina.

Wos says the plan will hold down rising costs to taxpayers while erasing administrative roadblocks she says frustrate doctors and hospitals who accept Medicaid patients.

Wos says the plan is to pay the managed-care providers a set monthly price for each Medicaid patient enrolled, then let those companies take the risk of cost overruns if they can't keep within budget.